


Nightmare

by CloakedSparrow



Series: Thor & Loki: Brotherhood [9]
Category: Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types, Thor: Tales of Asgard
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Crossover, Enchantress Referenced, Gen, Kid Loki and Kid Thor, Loki Needs a Hug, Pre-Thor (2011), Protective Thor, Tales of Asgard/Thor (2011), Thor Gives Him One, Thor Is Not Stupid, Thor Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 02:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5851471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloakedSparrow/pseuds/CloakedSparrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki suffers from nightmares that leave him feeling cold and alone. In these times, he goes to Thor for comfort. Thor wants to protect his little brother from any harm, but he doesn't know how to fight a nightmare that Loki doesn't recall the source of. He does what he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmare

Loki awoke with a start but not a sound. He was covered in an icy cold sweat and shivering in fright. The nightmare had plagued him for longer than he could recall. It was always the same; he was alone, cold and frightened. 

The pain it left in his heart was the worst part of it. Loki could wait out the cold and the fear, but the lonesomeness was consuming. That was what always led him to his brother’s chambers after the nightmare struck. 

Thor awoke slowly as always. He grumbled and fumbled around his bed until he touched his little brother’s hand. The fearful trembling and biting cold immediately brought him to full awareness. 

“Loki?” Thor sat up and pulled his brother to him, wrapping his arms around slender shoulders and rubbing trembling arms. “Again…? What causes you such fear, brother?” He shifted and lifted his blankets, urging Loki in the warm cocoon. 

Loki crawled in immediately and settled against his brother with practiced ease. He felt the lingering effects of his nightmare begin to soothe as soon as Thor’s arms wrapped around him again. “I don’t know.”

Thor sighed and held the smaller boy close. “You always say that.” He hated to feel helpless; it went against his nature. 

Loki pressed his face to his brother‘s shoulder to avoid looking him in the eye…and because it was warm, or so he chose to believe. “Because I can never remember the nightmare, only the feelings it leaves in its wake.” 

Thor frowned and rubbed Loki’s back absentmindedly. His cold flesh was already warming to its usual comfortable cool (for Loki never seemed to be warm, Thor blamed his slight frame) and he was not shaking nearly as much. Thor was sure -as was Loki- that it was the same nightmare returning every time, but Thor could not figure out what would plague his brother so persistently. 

“Loki…no one has harmed you, have they?” Aside from some cruel words, Thor never heard of anyone being malicious towards his little brother, but he acknowledged that he was not the most observant of individuals and they did spend a fair amount of time apart of late. Aside from his dearest friends, Thor doubted that anyone would report any wrongdoing against Loki. 

He just did not understand _why_.

“Thor,” Loki murmured, clearly he was starting to feel comfortable again. His grip on Thor’s nightshirt relaxed and he snuggled against his brother and the blankets as the lingering fear ebbed. “Despite what you and the other warriors might think, I am not without my own defenses.”

Thor actually knew that; it was just fun to tease Loki about taking on such a feminine study as spell craft and flourishing in it so. Still, he knew plenty of warriors in training who would be able to take on the budding sorcerer. “You would tell me though, if someone did hurt you?”

“I dare think you would notice regardless, brother. You have no respect for privacy, after all.” Loki’s tone relayed that he did not actually mind so much. 

Thor could not help but grin. He knew it was inappropriate to barge in on his brother all the time, but he wouldn‘t mind if the opposite were true so he never bothered. “Only where _you_ are concerned and you _are_ my brother after all…what you could possibly mean to hide from me?”

“Nothing, obviously.” Loki made a vague gesture that seemed to incorporate their current state. “But it still might be nice if you knocked once in a while. Good manners and all that.” 

Thor scoffed, blowing some of Loki‘s hair in the act. “Manners are for dignitaries and strangers, not brothers. When have we ever- Hey!” Thor frowned as something occurred to him. “You avoided my query.” 

Loki sighed quietly as Thor turned serious again and tightened his hold on the younger boy. “Loki, you must promise that you will come to me if someone harms you. As your big brother and future liege, it is my duty to protect you. How I can do that if I don’t know you‘re being mistreated?”

Knowing that any wry comment he could offer (such as suggesting that Thor simply pay attention to his surrounding outside of battle) would not be taken in jest, Loki merely sighed again. “Alright, if it means that much to you, then I shall inform you if someone mistreats me…assuming I’m in a position to.” 

Thor frowned at the phrasing -his brother was terribly clever with words, he knew- but decided the promise sounded fair. After all, he could hardly expect Loki to inform him he was being abused if he were held captive or was otherwise unable to reach him. He knew Loki had a tendency to take promises a little too literally sometimes.

Thor closed his eyes, content for the time being, and settled his head over Loki’s on his pillow. His little brother seemed to be recovering from his strange nightmare and Loki had assured him that he was well. At least, he was pretty sure they had reached that understanding. Loki could outwit Thor on his best day and he was very tired…

Deciding he was the one being too literal now, Thor allowed himself to drift off to sleep once more. 

Loki stayed awake for some time longer, enjoying his brother’s quiet presence and thinking over the promise he had made. Thor always did look at things in the most basic or physical sense. He would never even realize the flexibility of such an assurance. The standing of a pupil did leave one in an unexpectedly confining position…

At least one good thing came from their discussion: Loki was no longer dwelling on a shapeless nightmare.


End file.
